Kaffir potato, Hausa potato
A tropical plant. It grows naturally in southern tropical Africa. It grows in dry rocky and sandy soils. It grows between 600-1,900 m above sea level. It is hardy and needs frost free conditions. The best conditions for growth are 15-28°C. They need an annual rainfall of 700-1,100 mm. A soil pH of 6.5-7 is suitable. It can grow in arid places.
Also known as:
African potato, Batata gitamba, Buye, Daju, Dazo, Emahlo, Ennumbu, Ibonda, Isiqwili, Itapile, Livingstone potato, Makwele e sechuana Mhlata, Mumbu, Mutada, Plectranthus, Pomme de terre d'Afrique, Rizuka, Shezha, Tapole, Tensa, Tsenga, Tsenza, Ugiloa, Ulucanqu, Uluhlaza, Umhlata, Umhlati, Ushizane
Synonyms
- Coleus coppinii Heckel
- Coleus dazo A. Chev.
- Coleus esculentus (N. E. Br.) G. Taylor
- Coleus floribundus (N. E. Br.) Robyns & Lebrun
- Coleus langouassiensis A. Chev.
- Coleus floribundus var. longipes
- Englerastrum floribundum T. C. E. Fr.
- Plectranthus floribundus (N. E. Br.) G. Tayl.
- Plectranthus floribundus N. E. Br. var. longipes N. E. Br.
Edible Portion
- Tubers, Roots, Vegetable
Where does Kaffir potato grow?
Found in: Africa, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, Congo, East Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Guinea, Guinée, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Notes: There are about 250 Plectranthus species. They are mainly in the tropics. It has good food value.
Status: It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. They are sold in local markets. It is a popular food. It is eaten in large amounts.
Growing Kaffir potato, Hausa potato
Cultivation: Plants are normally grown from cuttings. It can be grown from tubers and small bulbils in the axils.
Edible Uses: The tubers are boiled and often added to other vegetables in soups. The tubers are washed then boiled in their skins. They can be dried and stored. They can also be pickled.
Production: Tubers are harvested 180-200 days after planting. Yields of 2-6 tonnes per hectare have been recorded. A tuber can weigh 1.8 kg.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portion| Edible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuber | 84 | 1.9 | 6.4 | - | - | - | 78 |
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